Locking cap for tank filler spouts



June 22, 1954 v FRlEND 2,681,559

LOCKING CAP FOR TANK FILLER SPOUTS Filed April 11, 1951 m fi IN V EN TOR.

ATTOF/VE'Z Patented June 22, 1954 LOCKING CAP FOR TANK FILLER SPOUTS Dawson Friend, Connersville, IncL, assignor to Stant Manufacturing Company, Inc., Connersville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application April 11, 1951, Serial No. 220,411

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a closure cap for use with a receptacle filler spout and is primarily concerned with the provision of means whereby such a cap can be positively locked to such spout.

My cap is designed primarily for use with a filler spout having the rim of its open end turned outwardly, to provide an axially-facing, annular seating surface, and downwardly, to provide an annular skirt having a plurality of diametrical notches therein, said skirt, between said notches, providing helical cam surfaces axially oppositely facing with respect to said seating surface. Caps designed for use with such a spout have means associated therewith for engaging such cam surfaces to draw the cap axially toward such seating surface upon turning movement thereof relative to said spout. Specifically then my invention relates to means associated with such a cap whereby the cap, after being seated on the seating surface, may be positively locked to the spout against turning movement and removal therefrom.

Ancillary objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construe tion illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a preferred embodiment of my invention shown in association with a filler spout of the type with which it is primarily intended to be used;

Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view of the cap of Fig. 1, partly broken away and with parts removed for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the ca with parts removed for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but with additional parts having been added in their proper sequence of assembly; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the type of filler spout for which my cap is primarily adapted.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, I

have shown a substantially circular cap Iii having a base I I, an annular rim I2 and a lock barrel I3 upstanding near the center thereof on the side coincident with rim I2. Barrel I3 provides an axial socket I4 substantially perpendicular to the cap base I I. A key-controlled cylinder I5 is oscillably mounted in socket It and the tumbler pins or discs l8 thereof take into slots (not shown) in the walls of socket I4 to prevent turning of cylinder I5 relative to cap it when the key is removed.

The end ll of cylinder I5 protrudes slightly beyond the end of barrel I3 and has projecting therefrom a pair of pins I8. Suitable means I9 as shown in Fig. 2 prevents axial removal of the cylinder from socket It.

A hood shaped element 28 has an end 2| perforated to receive pins i8, said end being seated against cylinder end Ii. The skirt 22 of hood surrounds barrel I3 and terminates in a radially outwardly turned flange 23. About a portion of the periphery of said flange, a parabolic spiral cam rim 2:. projects therefrom toward cap base II. Cam rim 25, in my preferred embodiment, extends angularly about the axis of cylinder I5 for slightly less than 180 as shown in Fig. 3.

A pin is carried in base II. A latch member 25 has one end 21 journalled on pin 25 for oscillation about the axis of said pin in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of cylinder I5. Said latch member has upstanding therefrom, at a point remote from pivot pin 25, a locking lug 28 and upturned flanges 29 and 353 defining a channel 3! therebetween. Channel 3| opens outwardly from base I I and receives the cam rim 2 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

From an examination of the described structure, it will be seen that oscillation of cylinder I5 within the lock barrel I3, will correspondingly oscillate the associated hood 2%] and cam rim 2t to cause latch member 26 to pivot about pin 25, moving the looking lug 28 substantially radially with respect to cap it.

Projecting from the base H in the direction of projection of barrel I3, I provide a plurality of studs 32. A cup-shaped element 33, having a bottom 34 and an annular rim 3%, is seated on studs 3-2 and screws take into threaded bores in studs 32 to hold the cup firmly to base II.

Cup 33 has a central aperture 3? through which hood 2U protrudes; and the rim of said aperture engages hood flange 23 to hold hood 2!] axially immovable but permitting rotation thereof with respect to cup 33 and cap iii. The cup bottom 34 also engages the portion 21 of latch member 26 to confine the same between base I I and cup bottom 35.

Cup rim 35 has in the periphery thereof a notch 3t which extends radially inwardly into the cup base as. Thus, locking lug it is provided with a substantially radial path for movement into and out of the interior of cup 33', through cup rim 35. In its innermost position, locking lug 28 will lie just within the bounds of cup rim 35, as shown in Fig. i, and in its outermost position, said locking lug will lie just without the bounds of said cup rim.

Cup rim 35 has at diametrically opposite positions a pair of radially inwardly turned toes So for a purpose later to become apparent.

My cap as described is designed for use with a filler spout having an axially-facing, annular seating surface 4| and an annular skirt porto enter one of the notches t4.

tion 42 spaced outwardly from spout 4G. Skirt 42 is interrupted at diametrically opposite points by notches 44, as shown in Fig. 5, said notches extending slightly into the seating surface 4!; and is provided with helical cam surfaces 63 on the free edge thereof between notches 44, axially oppositely facing with respect to seating surface 4|.

The inner diameter of cup rim 35 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of spout skirt 42. By positioning cap in on spout 4|] so that toes 39 register with spout notches 44, the toes may be passed through said notches to engage the cam surfaces 43. Rotation of cap l9, when the toes are so positioned, will cause the toes to underride the cam surfaces 43 shifting the cap axially relative to spout 40. Such passage of toes 43 through spout notches 44 may be accomplished, however, only when locking lug 28 is in its outermost position.

Sufficient turning of cap I will bring locking lug 28 into registry with one of the notches 4%. At this point, rotation of thekey-controlled cylinder I5 and its associated hood 20 and cam rim 24 will swing latch member 26 about pivot pin 25, moving locking lug 28 into the interior of cup 33 Thus it will be seen that the locking lug 28, so positioned, will prevent such movement of the cap It on spout 49 as would return toes 39 to registry with notches 44.

To provide a liquid-tight seal between the cap it and the spout seating surface 4|, I provide a gasket washer l5 surrounding hood skirt 22 and bearing against the rim of the cup aper ture 37. A second gasket washer 48 surrounds hood skirt 22 and is engageable with seating surface at. A resilient washer 47 is interposed between the gaskets t5 and 56 and at the inner periphery thereof bears against gasket 5 to urge it into sealing engagement with cup aperture rim 3'8. The outer periphery of washer it? engages gasket 55 to urge it into sealing engagement with spout seating surface il when the cap is in locked position on said spout, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A rivet 48 is fixed to hood end El and a cupped element 4 9 is fixed to rivet 45 by means of a speed nut Eli or the like. Element 59 acts as a retaining means for gaskets 35 and it and washer i? when the cap is disassembled from the spout 40.

To prevent water and dirt from entering keycontrolled cylinder I5, I provide a cover plate 51 hinged to a bracket 52 mounted on cap base i i and supporting an axle 53. A coiled spring 54 urges cover plate 5! into seating engagement with an annular rib 55 surrounding key-controlled element l5, and a gasket 55 is mounted to said cover plate to bear against rib 55 to insure a tight seal.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described comprising a base, an element carried for turning movement in said base about an axis substantially perpendicular thereto, a hood carried for turnin movement with said element at the end thereof remote from said base and having a skirt, the skirt of said hood surrounding said element and terminating in a parabolic spiral cam rim projecting toward said base, pivot means carried said base and having an axis eccentric with respect to said element axis, and a latch member journalled on said pivot means and operably connected to said cam rim for oscillation thereby about said pivot means in a plane substantially parallel to said base.

2. A device of the class described comprising a base, an element carried for turning movement in said base about an axis substantially perpendicular thereto, a member carried for turning movement with said element at the end thereof remote from said base, said member being provided with a cam rim projecting toward said base, pivot means carried in said base and having an axis oiiset from said element axis, and a latch member journalled on said pivot means and operably connected to said cam rim for oscillation thereby about said pivot means in a plane substantially parallel to said base, said latch member comprising a leaf journalled near one end thereof on said pivot means to lie in a plane substantially parallel to said base and having therein a relatively short channel spaced from said pivot means and a locking lug projecting from said leaf away from said base, said channel receiving said cam rim near the point of tangency of a line through said pivot means tangent to said cam rim.

3. For use with a receptacle filler spout of the type having the rim of its upwardly open end turned radially out to provide an axially-facing, annularseating surface, and down to provide an annular skirt having a plurality of radiallyopening, peripherally-spaced notches therein and providing on the edge thereof between said notches helical cam surfaces axially oppositely facing with respect to said seating surface, a closure cap provided with a plurality of peripherally-spaced, radially-turned tees for passage through said notches and retaining engagement with said spout skirt cam surfaces, a lock barrel carried by said'cap and supporting a key-wontrolled element oscillable about the axis of said barrel, a locking lug movably mounted on said cap and movable substantially radially with respect to said cap, and cam means providing an operative connection between said key-controlled element and said locking lug, said lugbeing enterable in one of said spout notches, in one position of said cap in which said toes engage said skirt cam surfaces, to hold said cap against turning movement relative to said spout.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said cam means comprises a parabolic spiral rim, and a lever pivoted on one end to said cap and having a channel therein receiving said rim, said locking lug being carried on said lever adjacent the opposite end thereof. 7

5. For use with a receptacle filler spout of the type having the rim of its upwardly open and turned radially out to providean axially-facing, annular seating surface, and down to provide an annular skirt having a plurality of radiallyopening, peripherally-spaced notches therein and providing on the edge thereof between said notches helical cam surfaces axially oppositely facing with respect to said seating surface, a closure cap provided with a plurality of peripherally-spaced, radially-turned toes for retaining engagement with said spout skirt cam surfaces, said cap comprising a base providing a lock barrel, a key-controlled cylinder mounted in said barrel for oscillation about the axis thereof and having a terminal portion near the end of said barrel remote from said base, a hood fixed to said terminal portion having a skirt terminating in a parabolic spiral cam having a rim projecting toward said base, a locking lug pivotally mounted on said base and movable substantially radially with respect to said base, and means providing an operative connection between said locking Ins and said parabolic cam rim, said lug being enterable in one of said spout notches, when said cap is in the position in which said toes engage said spout skirt cam surfaces, to hold said cap against turning movement relative to said spout.

6. For use with a receptacle filler spout of the type having the rim of its upwardly open end turned radially out -to provide an axially-facing, annular seating surface, and down to provide an annular skirt having a plurality of radiallyopening, peripherally-spaced notches therein and providing on the edge thereof between said notches helical cam surfaces axially oppositely facing with respect to said seating surface, a closure cap provided with a plurality of peripherally-spaced, radially-turned toes for passage through said notches and retaining engagement with said spout skirt cam surfaces, said cap comprising a base providing a lock barrel at the center thereof, a key-controlled cylinder mounted in said barrel for oscillation about the axis thereof and having a terminal portion near the end of said barrel remote from said base, a hood having an end portion fixed to said terminal portion and a skirt terminating in a parabolic spiral cam having a rim projecting toward said base, and a latch member shiftably mounted on said base, said latch member having a locking lug thereon and a channel therein near said looking lug, said parabolic cam rim being received in said channel and said locking lug, upon oscillation of said hood being movable substantially radially with respect to said cap base and enterable in one of said spout notches, when said cap is in the poistion in which said toes engage said spout skirt cam surfaces, to hold said cap against turning movement relative to said spout.

7. For use with a receptacle filler spout of the type having the rim of the upwardly open end turned radially out to provide an axially-facing, annular seating surface, and down to provide an annular skirt having a pair of radiallyopening, diametrical notches therein and providing on the edge thereof between said notches helical cam surfaces axially oppositely facing with respect to said seating surface, a closure cap comprising a base having a lock barrel at the center thereof, a key-controlled cylinder mounted in said barrel for oscillation about the axis thereof and having a terminal portion near the end of said barrel remote from said base, a hood fixed to said terminal portion having a skirt surrounding said barrel and terminating in a radially-outturned flange having, about a portion of its periphery, a parabolic spiral rim projecting toward said base, a pivot pin mounted in said base upon an axis eccentric with respect to said barrel axis, a latch member comprising a leaf having one end thereof mounted for swinging movement about said pivot pin in a plane substantially perpendicular to said barrel axis, a locking lug projecting therefrom near the other end of said leaf substantially perpendicular thereto, said leaf further having a channel near said locking lug opening outwardly from said leaf and receiving said parabolic spiral rim, and an element fixedly supported on said base overlying the radially-outturned flange of said hood to prevent axial movement of said hood away from said base, said element being provided with a pair of diametrical, radially-turned toes on a diameter including said barrel axis, the diameter of a circle concentric with said barrel axis and including the roots of said toes being slightly greater than the diameter of said spout skirt, said toes being registrable with said spout skirt notches and engageable with said spout cam surfaces to move said cap axially toward said seating surface upon turning movement of said. cap relative to said spout, said locking lug being enterable in one of said spout notches, after said turning movement of said cap and upon oscillation of the key-controlled cylinder, to hold said cap against turning movement relative to said spout.

8. For use with a receptacle filler spout of the type having the rim of the upwardly open end turned radially out to provide an axiallyfacing, annular seating surface, and down to provide an annular skirt having a pair of radially-opening, diametrical notches therein and providing on the edge thereof between said notches helical cam surfaces axially oppositely facing with respect to said seating surface, a closure cap comprising a base having a lock barrel at the center thereof, a key-controlled cylinder mounted in said barrel for oscillation about the axis thereof and having a terminal portion near the end of said barrel remote from said base, a pair of pins eccentrically protruding from said terminal portion, a hood comprising an end portion perforated to receive said pins when said end portion is seated against said terminal portion, and a skirt terminating in a radially outwardly turned flange having about a portion of its periphery a parabolic spiral rim projecting toward said base; a pivot pin carried in said base spaced from said hood rim, a latch member mounted for swinging movement about said pivot pin in a plane substantially perpendicular to said barrel axis and having a channel therein opening outwardly from said latch member and said base and receiving said hood rim near the point of tangency of a line through said pivot pin tangent to said hood rim, a looking lug carried by said latch member near said channel for substantially radial movement with respect to said cap; and a cup fixed to said base having an aperture at the center thereof, the rim of which engages said hood flange to prevent axial movement of said hood away from said base, and a peripheral rim projecting therefrom away from said base, said rim having a substantially radial notch therethrough for movement of said locking lug from a position just outside said cup rim to a position just within said cup rim, said rim being of a diameter slightly larger than said spout skirt and providing a pair of diametrical radially-inturned toes enterable in said spout notches and engageable thereafter with said spout skirt cam surfaces to move said cap axially toward said spout seating surface upon turning movement of said cap relative to said spout, said locking lug being enterable in one of said spout notches after said turning movement of said cap and upon oscillation of the key-controlled cylinder, to hold said cap against turning movement relative to said spout.

References Cited in the file of thi atent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,625,652 Groesbeok Apr. 19, 1927 1,996,454 Brown Apr. 2, 1935 2,255,070 Malluk l Sept. 9, 1941 2,431,458 Burdock et a1 Nov. 25, 1947 

